Chicken Wings and Vegan Things
BECAUSE RHYMING IS COOL
If you’ve been here a while, you probably know that I have a killer recipe for buffalo wings. You can find that here. I don't share a ton of recipes anymore (sad), so when I do, you know I really mean it.
Why are these so great, you might ask? Because they are boiled in a salty/spicy water bath first, then broiled or air-fried until crispy. So they’re basically marinated and infused with flavor from the inside out, the meat falls off the bone, and they’re not fried so they’re a bit healthier too. Triple win. And being that we’ve got the big game on Sunday, I felt there was no better time to share these. Lmk if you try them! You won’t regret it. And here's the video if that's your thing:
Hopefully I don’t get too much hate for my shirt...
BUT TO THAT END, if you've been around a while, you'll also know that I’m not shy about being a meat eater and a cheese lover. So when I shared this flatlay (below) of my latest grocery haul from FreshDirect on Sunday, people were confused. A bunch of you asked if I was going vegan (I am not), and overall I got a lot of judgmental replies questioning my carnivorous and typically unhealthy ways.
Now listen, I get it. It’s not what you expect when you see me sharing things like Taco Bell and pizza pretty regularly, but I wanted to point out that I really do try to eat pretty cleanly when I’m NOT gorging on things like Taco Bell and pizza. Ya know?
I’ve mentioned this in the past, but I have slightly elevated cholesterol levels and was told a few years ago by my doctor to watch my saturated fats/meat/dairy intake. So that’s why I sometimes choose vegan products for my "meats," but I find that vegan "cheese" is not exactly easy on the stomach (or wallet). Most of them are made from oils and lack any nutritional value, so personally, I’d rather just have a little bit of the real stuff than a lot of the fake stuff. And vegan products can be just as bad for you, you just have to read labels. That said, if you’re genuinely lactose intolerant or are super anti-dairy for your own personal reasons, you gotta do what works for you.
I bring this up because a bunch of people voted “yes” to a “what I eat in a day” video, so while I'm working on that, I can tell you this: most of the time, I try really hard to eat as much natural foods as possible and I portion control the shit out of what I eat. When I say “natural foods” I mean I read labels on most of the things I buy and if there’s a laundry list of chemicals/shit I can’t pronounce, I don’t eat it. Obviously this does not apply when I’m craving Bagel Bites but I said MOST OF THE TIME.
And re: portion control, I hate feeling bloated and lethargic; if I feel like I can't even get up after a meal, that's not enjoyable. I like feeling satisfied, not stuffed. I'd rather have a bunch of small meals throughout the day than 2-3 huge ones.
I also have ZERO self control when I become ravenous. Like, zero. Those are the times when I will eat anything in sight and not care what's in it. I will gravitate towards the fattiest thing I can find and HOUSE IT, then I'll feel ill afterwards and hate myself. It's not a good look.
The last time I did this, I was visiting a restaurant on the UES for a solo late lunch. I hadn’t eaten all day and I was FAMISHED. I ordered a fried chicken sandwich, mac n cheese, and two empanadas filled with various meats and cheeses. I ate basically everything, and left a few crumbs to show I had some semblance of dignity (when in fact I had none). I remember coming home, crawling on the couch into the fetal position, then falling asleep. Like a toddler. An entire afternoon wasted on literally one big lunch. Not for me.
So… don't believe everything IG tells you. I tend to share the delicious stuff because, well, does anyone really care about the salad or boring turkey sandwich I have for lunch most days? Maybe you do, but I sure as shit don't. It's also one of the few times in my life where I don't feel obligated to document everything. It's kinda nice.
I also believe that one of the reasons I CAN eat the way I do (i.e. pizza and Taco Bell occasionally), is because I don't ever really deprive myself of the things I want. I just eat less of them and in moderation so my body isn’t “shocked” when I do have them. Make sense??
If you want more info on my "diet," check that out here. And lmk if you want more of these “boring” recipes!
Til next time.